Distribution and prevalence records of two parasitic barnacles (Crustacea : Cirripedia : Rhizocephala) from the west coast of North America

Abstract

New records of rhizocephalan barnacles from the Mexican Pacific are presented. The distribution ranges of Lernaeodiscus porcellanae (Lernaeodiscidae) and Heterosaccus californicus (Sacculinidae) and their host species are revised. In both cases, the parasites occur in only a fraction of the total geographic range of their hosts. Lernaeodiscus porcellanae was found only in the porcellanid crab Petrolisthes cabrilloi from Laguna Beach, California to San Quintin, Baja California

while H. californicus ranged from Bodega Bay, California to Cedros Island Baja California parasitizing (fi om north to south) the majid crabs Pugettia producta, Loxorhynchus grandis, L. crispatus, and Taliepus nuttallii. Prevalence records are presented for Lernaeodiscus porellanae and for H. californicus parasitizing I? producta

in both cases considerable geographical and temporal variation was found.